After a three-year hiatus, Geraldine’s ukulele festival is back by popular demand.
Lorenzo Vignando — who is part of the festival’s headline act Ukulollo — has just finished performing solo at the Monopolele Mediterranean Ukulele Fest.
He said the event — which took place in Italy — was the biggest in Europe, with more than 60 artists performing over five days.
Vignando said while at first glance Monopolele and Geraldine’s ukulele festival might look very different, there were some similarities.
The organisers of the Italian event were longtime friends who involved their families and volunteers in the event, he said.
In Geraldine, Fi and Hugh McCafferty were the same, Vignando said.
‘‘Every time they decide to put themselves into the hard quest of running a festival, they are again surrounded by volunteers and musicians, and manage to make it happen . . . it takes a certain amount of craziness to run a ukulele festival.
‘‘It’s certainly not a rewarding business and most of the time those who do it, do it only because of the love for that little instrument, the music.
‘‘A ukulele player always has a certain kindness that makes them recognisable wherever they come from.’’
Another similarity was the spirit, he said.
‘‘The feeling you get being part of either of the two is exactly the same.’’
He had fond memories from the last festival he attended in Geraldine.
The artists were all put in the same flat throughout the festival.
While everybody was supposed to play their own set and perhaps sing a song together for the finale, they all instantly became friends.
‘‘Instead of sleeping, we spent the three nights before the main concert jamming together and sharing our music.
‘‘At some point, we even decided on a name: The Sharp-Flatmates, and ended up performing a full set as a group.’’
A lot has happened since he last performed at the Geraldine Uke Fest and he could not wait to perform his latest music to his New Zealand friends.
The Ukefest will take place from July 3 to July 5.
Tickets can be purchased at humanitix.
